ContemporaryIt Had to Be You
By Chrissy Dionne
Apr 1, 2006 - 10:20:00 AM

Candy Blake left the town of Morris Point in style by roaring past the graduation ceremony in nothing more than a string bikini and a smile on the back of a Harley. Since leaving town, Candy has become a successful lingerie model and designer and has high hopes of expanding her catalog operation. It's been ten years since she's been back to Morris Point and attending the high school reunion is the last thing she wants to do but her foster mother is insisting. She might as well make the best of the situation and enjoy herself, even if it does get the whole town talking about her again.

Greg Morris had a huge crush on Candy in high school. She refers to him as "The Toad." The fact that his family is one of the most influential in the area and Candy blames Greg's father for her own father's death is a huge stumbling block he intends to overcome. Greg's determined to get Candy to notice him and he's counting on the evening of the reunion to make her see him as the man for her.

Candy is lured back to Morris Point by a contract offered by Pendant Publishing and her foster mothers' recent heart surgery. She fully intends to take care of Ma and pursue the contract while in Morris Point but things have a way of getting out of hand. At the reunion Candy doesn't recognize Greg "The Toad" Morris and even hooks up with him for the evening. During the reunion Greg told one of their former classmates that they are together. At the time, Candy saw him as her Sir Galahad for saving her, it isn't until later that she realizes the true identity of her knight in a tuxedo and she isn't pleased by the discovery either. Of course, things only get worse from there when a wedding announcement appears in the newspaper and Candy learns of Greg's involvement with Pendant Publishing. With well-meaning friends and family as well as a few oddballs thrown in for good measure, if Greg can prove to Candy that "IT HAD TO BE YOU" and earn her trust they may just have a chance at happiness.

Julie Skerven's IT HAD TO BE YOU is a rousingly fun tale with two strong-willed, bold characters that are truly a joy to imagine. Candy has a dry humor that cracks me up and I love the way she won't back down from anyone who looks down their nose at her. Greg hasn't led a charmed life either despite the fact that his family has money and prestige. What his family really needs is something to shake them up and break them out of their stuck-up self-important lives . . . Candy is the perfect candidate to teach the entire family that there's more to life than their standing in the community. Ms. Skerven adds a bit of suspense that had me fascinated and glued to the pages until the very end.